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Reviews Manga / Rurouni Kenshin

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philipmarie PhilipMarie Johnston Since: May, 2011
PhilipMarie Johnston
01/21/2020 00:08:59 •••

The greatest shonen ever and one of the greatest manga ever.

BVM,

I'll make it no secret that Rurouni Kenshin is my most favorite anime of all time. I used to say that Neon Genesis Evangleion was my favorite but that was mostly because it brought me into anime; then I said Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood but that was because FMAB had a truly great and very well written story. However, after rewatching the series and admitting it has SOME flaws, I reconsidered and declared Kenshin to be my most favorite anime.

No anime lead me to google so much about it or to analyze it's themes so much; no anime affected me so much with it's philosophy and characters, except for maybe Neon Genesis Evangelion but whereas Evangelion made me depressed, Kenshin actually taught me how to live, how to grow stronger and be happy. Few anime have such a great and well developed cast characters with one of the greatest protagonsits ever created. Seriously, Kenshin is to anime what Superman is to comic books.

Yes, it has some flaws, none of which detract away from the story as I don't recall anyone acting like an idiot or doing a stupid decision. The biggest flaw in Kenshin is, especially in early episodes of the anime, the narration of the obvious. Even I got tired of how the characters would constantly say how strong and inhuman Kenshin is or what he just did. This doesn't count for when the characters talk about the chocies they make throughout life or how they live it because honestly, I love those bits. They make the battle more intense and make it more magnificent; the battle between Kenshin and Soujiro the Tenken would not have been half as good without Soujiro breaking down. Another flaw of the anime were some unbelievable villians like Raijuta and Fuji but they still provided some good scenes. Overall, Kenshin has very few flaws and the good stuff is so excellent and well executed it overshadows even the bad filler arcs from the later parts of the anime. Plus, the Jinchuu arc in the manga was one of the greatest endings to anything with a very suspenseful battle and deep meaning behind it.

Overall, I give Kenshin a 9.5 out of 10 if not a 10. It really is highly recommended if you want to lead a good life and be entertained.

Kif Since: Oct, 2012
09/13/2013 00:00:00

"Yes, it has some flaws, none of which detract away from the story as I don't recall anyone acting like an idiot or doing a stupid decision."

Alright, but is that really a good thing? People act like idiots and make stupid decisions in real life. Quite frankly, I'd have a problem with a story where everyone always did the right thing; that's just not human. (But what do I know? I just read the first volume of the Manga - I don't have nearly as much authority to talk about the series as you do.)

And then everybody died. The end.
doctrainAUM Since: Aug, 2010
09/13/2013 00:00:00

There are many things that happen in real life but are still justifiably considered bad writing when done in fiction. Reality Is Unrealistic is just part of that, but also because that type of thinking can be used to justify any bit of sloppy storytelling.

More importantly, there is a gulf of difference between making stupid decision and making decisions that are smart, but quite the right idea, or if they have very good reason to be wrong.

"What's out there? What's waiting for me?"
Kif Since: Oct, 2012
11/15/2013 00:00:00

I dunno, it just doesn't seem like much of a compliment to say that no one acted stupidly. Sure, it can be used to justify sloppy storytelling, but I'd say it's equally sloppy characterization to have characters that never do anything dumb. Reality Is Unrealistic doesn't apply here; characters are, in my opinion, more nuanced and interesting when the writers give them the freedom to make human errors and mistakes.

And then everybody died. The end.
doctrainAUM Since: Aug, 2010
11/15/2013 00:00:00

Thing is, I wouldn't call "human errors and mistakes" to be acting stupidly. There is a big difference between being wrong and being stupid.

"What's out there? What's waiting for me?"
Kif Since: Oct, 2012
11/16/2013 00:00:00

Being wrong often comes from being stupid, and vice versa; it's difficult to have just one without the other. It just feels odd to say that characters can't act stupid in order for the manga to be good; after all, acting stupidly isn't inherently a justification for poor plotting. Moreover, acting stupidly, I would say, is a human error/mistake. Characters who always make perfectly correct or perfectly justified decisions aren't particularly realistic characters, and I can't imagine spending a lot of time with one without that character growing tiresomely perfect.

And then everybody died. The end.
Gladiatorfan Since: Jan, 2020
01/20/2020 00:00:00

I concur. Dragonball Z was what turned me on to anime, but Rurouni Kenshin I feel made me actually think. For one thing, It was actually based on real history. I actually learned about real Japanese history watching it. Secondly, Kenshins philosophy moves me. What I like so much about the hero is that he takes absolutely no pleasure in having to fight. But he will not hesitate to fight to protect those he loves. He does not show off, he does not lord his power over others. I feel he is an ideal of what a good man is. I could never hope to be as kind and generous as him, but I feel that trying to be makes me a better person. And that\'s why I love this anime.

MiinU Since: Jun, 2011
01/21/2020 00:00:00

"Being wrong often comes from being stupid, and vice versa; it's difficult to have either one without the other."

Not true on either count. It's entirely possible (and easy) to be wrong without being stupid. Ever hear of an "educated guess"? It's when someone either makes a decision, or tries to anticipate a certain outcome based on whatever pertinent information they have. They may come to a reasonably sound conclusion and still guess wrong for a number of reasons.

  • Their information may have been faulty, or insufficient, or incomplete without them realizing it.
  • Time can also be a factor in circumstances where decisions have to be made quickly.
  • Or the situation may change suddenly, without them knowing. Even if they're aware of the change when it happens, they may not have time to re-evaluate the situation, leaving them no choice but to follow their initial plan.

Likewise, stupidity doesn't necessarily hinge on being wrong either. A person can do the right thing and still be foolish. Such as a guy intervening in a fight to defend someone else. Is it the right thing to do? Sure. But if our would-be Samaritan is unarmed and inexperienced in a fight, stepping into that situation would be brave, but still foolhardy.

I wouldn't mind failure so much, if I didn't fail so much.

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